We need some control over our lives, we want to be good at something, and we want to feel that we belong with other people. ~Harold Jarche

I agree with that, and it reminded me of Daniel Pink‘s work that we are motived by autonomy, mastery, and purpose. But then Jarche takes this further:

A networked organization based on the compass of self-determination theory needs minimal management. It has the capability of sharing power between people and working together as the situation requires. This reflects the wirearchy organizing principle developed 20 years ago — “a dynamic two-way flow of power and authority, based on knowledge, trust, credibility and a focus on results, enabled by interconnected people and technology”.

Harold Jarche

Consider the power in the words defining wirearchy:

dynamic

two-way

power and authority

knowledge, trust, credibility

results

enabled by interconnected people and technology

I found Harold Jarche’s article and wirearchy as a connection to what we in CLmooc feel and how we learn. We trust each other– and ask questions and muddy the water, yet we stay connected. But then Terry and Anna point out that we in CLmooc have no set purpose– we share and create and connect, but most of the time we’re playing with friends, we learn a new tool, play with words, write poetry. In the summer we join in a shared experience, open to anyone. And now we’re participating with others in #modigiwri [more digital writing].

So I adapted the Venn Diagram as a CLmooc version of our learning together:

I think of all of our work as trying to approach the messy wicked challenges of learning. These challenges are life and death now.

And I think our sharing is an example of the possibles, and that is a good purpose, to be a model that others may adapt. To be welcoming and invitational in all we share. We are all unique; we have our own compasses, yet we all live here on one planet.

We are all dots, specks of dust, in a vast universe. Connecting these dots creates matter (use that word two ways).

We all matter. And that’s important because of Terry’s “if” —

If we can learn together, if we can be drawn toward this lodestone of wirearchy/connected learning, if we can drag others with us in this gravity well of connection, I suppose we might make a go of this planet.

I’m surprised I had not heard of wirearchy– I find it fits with what connected learning and with what is happening now, although we are careful and hoping that the world sorts itself out. Yet, there is a dynamic flow of interconnected people striving for a safe, humane world for everyone.

Terry, I think, stated a CLmooc hidden purpose in his hope:

Let us be drawn by the better compasses of our nature toward an undiminished future.

Thank you Terry for providing the connections [research, literature, metaphors, analysis] that extends and clarifies our dots, lines, networks, wirearchy. Lots to think about, as you can tell from this rambling.

And today, with Terry’s call for following our better compasses– because it’s a choice. When we create a dot or draw a line, what we create for good matters. And we choose that purpose, that relatedness.

I enjoyed making the jumps — rather like our #modigiwri posts— — anchors send rays to gather concepts to wrap points that consider and encourage alternatives to those who connect and pause with the anchor. Thanks for taking time to create digital writing that helps us think through possible purposes, presentations, processes, and ponderings 🙂

Sarah, I was so glad that Terry posted about this — we are quite a crew of creative thinkers! I hope your thesis work is going well — excited to hear more about it as it relates to connected learning. ~ Sheri

I created it just before the 2013 CLmooc, so you probably didn’t see it. I made it in Dec, 2012, thanks to the idea from Denise Krebs. I liked the way it turned out — it took me about several days during break to create it — my first published book! 🙂